Convertible crib and table



Oct. 9, 1951 w TAYLOR, JR 2,570,609

CONVERTIBLE CRIB AND TABLE 7 Filed Jan. 31, 1947 N l-lIll-lIll- :z il n spective ends thereof. preferably but-not necessarily extend fromone side of the platform II] to the other and are Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,570,609

CONVERTIBLE CRIBANDTABLE Wood Nicholas Taylor, J12, Bernie, Mo.

Application January 31, 194:7 Serial No. 725,525

Claims. (CI; 211-148) This invention relates to an article of furniture which can be used alternatively as a crib or g a table. furniture in a growing family but its term of t-usefulness as such is only for limited periods.

A crib is often a necessary article of It is an object of the present invention to pro- 'vide a crib so constructed that it can be partly or wholly made useful in other ways after it .has served its purpose as a crib.

It is a further object of the invention to pro- .vide a crib equipped with convenient shelves for holding articles useful in the care of an infant. For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference maybe had to the following description thereof, and to the drawing, of

which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an article of furniture embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view :01 two of theparts of the article of furniture...

shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the portion of in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the table platform showing one of the fastener elements;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig- -ure 1;

Figure 7 is similar to Figure 6 showing parts in a different position.

The article of furniture illustrated on the? drawing comprises a horizontal rectangular table "top H] which, as indicated in Figure 3, may be supported by two vertical wall members Hand 14- extending transversely with respect to the platform it and spaced inwardly from the re- These wall members secured to the underside of the platform by any suitable means such as an adhesive and/or-f'astening elements. Reinforcing blocks shown but are not essential. In order to stiffen the structure and prevent I6 are wall members l2-and. M with mortised joints,

.the joistv being suitably grooved as at 22 to fit snugly in a notch 24 in each of the wall members.

Spacedbelow the end portions of the platform II] are horizontal shelves 30 and 32. Each shelf is preferably secured-to the lower edge of the joist 2n and extends from one of the wall members to the Vertical plane containing the adjacent end edge of the platform ID. The. shelves 30 and32 are also secured to the wall members I2 and M respectively to stifien the structure as a whole. The structure thus far described is suitable for 'use'as a table or desk, the shelves in and 32 being convenient for the reception of books,

. papers or the like.

In order to convert the. table into a crib, two end boards 34 and 36am provided, these boards being preferably detachably connected .to the ends of the table. adjacent end-edge of the platform in and an shaped brackets 40 secured to the inner face of each end board. The brackets have upstanding lugs 42 adapted to fit insmall holes orv bores in the bottoms of the platform 10 and the shelves f and 32. The bracketsmay be in the form of simple L-shaped'screw threaded hooks, four such hooks being provided for each endboard, the" lower two hooks entering holes in the adjacent shelf, the upper two hooks entering holes in the platform In near the end abutted by the end board. The bottom' edges. of the end boards 3&- and 36 are preferably in a common plane with the bottom edges of the board members l2 and It so that all four of these members can be employed as supports for the crib. However, if preferred, casters 44 may be mounted at the lower corners of the endboards in which case the end boards supportthe entire weight of the crib.

Suitable side rails Fill and 52 are provided to extend fromone end board to the other above "the side edges of theplatform l0. Each of these side rails may consist of an upper bar 54, alower bar 56 between which extend a series of vertical rods 58. -E'ach-side rail is preferably secured in place in such a way as to be readily released, As shown, each bottom bar 56 is hinged to the platform 10 by suitable fittings which permit the side rail to be swung down out of the way or to be swung back into its vertical position between the end boards. As illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and '7, a hinge element 60 may be mounted on the under face of the platform l0 Each end board abuts the near each corner thereof, this fitting consisting of a screw eye having a screw threaded portion at right angles to the plane of the eye as indicated in Figure 5, this structure making it possible to swing the eye out of the way under the platform H] or out into a projecting position wherein it can cooperate with a loop member 62 as shown in Figures 6 and 7. This loop member is secured to the lower bar 56, the loop being open so that its end can be hooked through the eye of the member 60 when the rail is inclined outward at about 60. can readily be hooked through or disen aged from the eye 60. When the rail is upright or swung down to a horizontal or downwardly inclined position, the hin e elements 60 and 62 remain engaged. As indicated on the drawing, the loop 62 may be made of a piece of wire having a screw-threaded end extending into the lower bar 56 horizontally. The projecti g portion bends down and extends to a point below the level of the eve 60. The end portion bends in a curve and extends upward through the eye. The members 60 and 62 thus act as a hin e but permit the parts to be disengaged if it is desired to remove the side rail entirely from the crib.

When the side rails are up, as shown in Figure 1, they may be fastened in place by any suitable fittin s such as hasps 66 and hooks 68.

The shelves 30 and 32 provide convenient storage space for supplies which may be needed in the care of an infant occupying the crib. If additional shelf space is desired a detachable shelf H3 may be mounted between the wall members l2 and Hon dowels or pegs 12 which project from these members.

When the infant has outgrown the crib, the end boards and side rails may be removed whereupon the remainder of the structureis ready for use as a table or desk. Theend boards themselves may thereafter, if desired, be connected by shelves (not shown) so as to be made useful as parts of a set of shelves.

It is evident that various modifications and changes may be made in the details of the embodiment of the invention herein shown or described without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. An article of furniture comprising a horizontal platform, shelves spaced below the end said platform, detachable vertical end boards abutting the end edges of said platform and shelves and projecting up above the level of the platform, and means detachably securing said end boards to said platform and shelves.

2. An article of furniture comprisinga horizontal platform, shelves spaced below the end portions of said platform, each shelf having an edge in a vertical plane containing an end edge of the platform, frame members securing said shelves to said platform, detachable vertical end boards abutting said edges of the platform and shelves and projecting up above the level of the platform, and brackets on said end boards hav- At this angle the loop-62 ing upstanding portions entering said platform 4 and shelves from below to support the platform and shelves.

3. An article of furniture comprising a horizontal platform, transverse vertical supporting members secured to the under side of said platform and spaced inward from the ends thereof, a horizontal shelf spaced below each end of said platform, the outer edge of each said shelf being in a vertical plane containing the corresponding end edge of the platform, and detachable vertical end boards abutting the end edges of said platform and shelves, said end boards having L-hooks on which said platform and shelves may rest.

' said platform and secured to the platform and to both said vertical members, and a shelf at each end secured to said joist and to the adjacent vertical member, each said shelf having its outer edge in a vertical plane containing an end edge of the platform, vertical end boards abutting the end edges of the platform and shelves, and means detachably securing said end boards to said platform and shelves.

5. An article of furniture comprising a horizontal platform, framing secured to the underside of said platform, said framing includingtwo rectangular wall members arranged in vertical planes transversely with respect to said platform and spaced from each other and inward from the respective ends of said platform, a central joist extending from one end of the platform :to the other and intersecting said wall members with mortised joints, and a horizontal shelf spaced below each end portion of the platform and extending from the adjacent'wall member to a vertical plane containing the adjacent -end edge of the platform, and a vertical end board detachably secured at each end of saidplatform, each said end board abutting end edges ofthe platform and adjacent shelf.

WOOD NICHOLAS TAYLOR, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Rosenthal Jan. 2, 1945 

